Less corruption

Clearly steps are needed to ensure that MPs can be trusted to behave with all the integrity and honesty that we have a right to expect from people who should be our most respected public servants.

Any expenses paid to MPs should be in accordance with fair, clear, know rules and (as now seems to be necessary) subject to independent regulation and scrutiny.

MPs should of course be guaranteed an income sufficient to enable them to live in comfort, and to concentrate on the job, free of financial worries and distractions. Part of the reason for recent problems is claimed by some to be that their salaries have been depressed on the understanding that they can make it up on expenses. So give them a proper income. But note that not all of them treat it as a full-time job. And note also that many of them have substantial income from other sources. So perhaps, rather than paying them salaries, we should give them appropriate tax credits to ensure that their income is raised to a suitable level and to pay them nothing at all if it is already above that level. And something similar might apply to any pension paid to ex-MPs.

Even more seriously, there have been cases of MPs receiving payments or other inducements to lobby or raise questions on behalf of commercial organisations. Clearly, this is, and should be, regarded as a very serious criminal offence. On the other hand, do not party "whips" also use threats and promises to induce MPs to follow the party line? Should that too not be regarded as a criminal activity, deflecting MPs from their duty to act as honourable and independent representatives of their constituencies? Particularly where the party line is contrary to undertakings made at the time of election.

Revised  26 June 2009